Alpha Centauri destroys rivals in Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot

by Paul Barbieri

Alpha Centauri streets her rivalsImage: Getty Images

Jessica Harrington’s Alpha Centauri stole the show on Day 4 at Royal Ascot, scorching the field to win the Group One Coronation Stakes in a track record time, while some big guns in Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori couldn’t find winners on Friday.

Alpha Centauri was in cruise control with two furlongs remaining in Friday’s 1603m feature, but when jockey Colm O’Donoghue pressed the button, she responded in style, accelerating away from the pack to beat Threading by six lengths, with Veracious in third.

Alpha Centauri was one of three 1000 Guineas winners in the field, but she more than eclipsed her rivals as Billesdon Brook – the 66-1 winner at Newmarket – could only finish fourth as French 1000 Guineas winner Teppal was further back in ninth.

In Day 4’s other Group One, Jim Crowley – still sporting stitches from a jockey-room brawl with Raul da Silva earlier in the month – piloted the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Eqtidaar to victory in the Commonwealth Cup.

For Aussie-based Kiwi James McDonald, luck deserted him in the Commonwealth Cup on one of the favourites, Charlie Hill’s Equilateral, who was given every chance but weakened in the last 200m to finish 12th.

McDonald had slightly better fortunes in the King Edward VII Stakes, finishing seventh on Stoute’s Elector behind the William Buick-ridden Old Persian, while he also finished seventh in Duke of Edinburgh Stakes on Charlie Appleby’s Eynhallow behind Dash of Spice.

His first race of the day didn’t go to plan either as Hawayel finished 16th in the Albany Stakes.

With Ryan Moore and Dettori not having any winners on Day 4 – Dettori finished third in the two Group Ones while Moore couldn’t get a place on Friday – William Buick took advantage. His win on Old Persian sees him level with Moore on three Royal Ascot winners, the pair one behind Dettori.

Old Persian’s victory also saw Appleby go level with John Gosden for top trainer with four wins.